University students find pleasure in many shapes and forms, whether it’s a high from drinking or smoking, the feeling from watching a good movie or listening to a great album. Whatever it is, the ultimate goal is to feel content, happy and alive. But for some, achieving this feeling also comes with a heavy price.
For thrill seekers, that price can mean their lives. So why do people seeking an adrenaline rush take the risks they do?
“You feel everything and are more alive than ever,” said University student Kate Okrasinski, an avid white-water rafter and skier. “Whether it’s a roller coaster at the county fair or kayaking, everyone wants to get their blood pumping. Oh man, that element of do or die; even just talking about it gets me juiced up.”
In some cases, adrenaline seekers can become addicted to the thrill achieved by certain exciting activities, much like a drug.
Richard Marrocco, a University psychology professor, said that thrill seekers might repeat high-risk activities because of their inner reward system.
“Dopamine and norepinephrine, or adrenaline, are involved in keeping the brain alert and awake. They seem to be critical in the reward system, among other things,” Marrocco said. “When you perceive something to be dangerous and activate these neurotransmitters, it’s a rewarding experience… Sometimes it can be so rewarding that it develops a habit.”
Marrocco explained that there is a dark side to this reward system in drugs, but that the only real correlation between adrenaline junkies and drug junkies is that the two both require a certain risk to be taken.
“I’ve seen it become a drug in other people,” Okrasinski said. “It’s something I do seek and enjoy, but it’s not habitual.”
For some, such as University Outdoor Program Trip and Rental Facilitator Dave Villalobos, it’s understandable how sports that emit an adrenaline rush can be deemed addictive and unsafe behaviors.
“It can be spun into a negative aspect,” Villalobos said. “My dad would definitely have a different opinion on my lifestyle. Even someone who drinks themselves into oblivion might not think dropping 20 feet in a kayak is something that is safe.”
Many people that participate in so called high-risk activities feel that the activity is nothing like drugs, but a more natural way to seek enjoyment from life.
“It’s something that isn’t even in the same category,” University student Adam Mack said of the comparison of drugs and obtaining an adrenaline rush. “It’s a cleaner high and much more fun.”
And not just anyone can engage in dangerous activities.
“Anybody can be introduced to it, but you’ve got to have something there,” Mack said. “Ever since the beginning I’ve loved to do stuff like this. I think it has a lot do with your environment.”
Facing serious repercussions doesn’t stop many adrenaline seekers; it just adds more fuel to the fire.
“I’ve had my fair share of accidents, but nothing that has been too serious,” said Cory Lescher, a University student who enjoys everything from kayaking to rock climbing. “I think that if I really got hurt that it would make me even more determined to go back and conquer that activity.”
One thing that makes these activities so attractive is that they can be considered the ultimate test of mentality.
“Being human, we’re always wanting to push our limits,” said Okrasinski, who studies human physiology. “How do you really know what you’ve got if you don’t? It’s about flirting with the edge, but also knowing your limits.”
The risk of getting seriously hurt is not always a motivation for these athletes, though. Sometimes injuries provide reason to step back and analyze their position. In Villalobos’ case, his priorities in life force him to critically think through risky situations before doing something crazy.
“I’ve definitely gotten more conservative,” he said. “It comes with seeing the potential of what can happen, and also the more responsibilities I have with being a parent and husband. When I hear the click of my wedding ring on my paddle, I do think twice before I drop.”
The risk aspect of certain sports and the adrenaline rush that comes with them are not the only rewards. Sometimes, just enjoying what the earth has to offer is enough.
“Doing something with high risks means you’re only focused on that moment and not thinking about anything else,” Lescher said. “I just have a passion for being outdoors and high-risk activities. It’s something that simply makes me happy.”
Along with the benefits of being outdoors and feeling alive, there is also a sense of community among those that push boundaries and personal comfort zones.
“I can’t think of any other community where there is more a sense of camaraderie than this one,” Mack said. “Rarely are you ever doing something solo. You are literally putting your life in other people’s hands at times.”
Mack, a biology major, also mentioned that the preparation and training for such activities is half the fun; it is often the entire journey that makes the destination worthwhile.
“If you only stay in Eugene and watch TV or play video games, you’re not experiencing all of our world,” Okrasinski said. “If you wake up feeling every part of your body, then that means you were in it that day. It’s all about coming home alive – but with a good story.”